US Mountain Ranger Association

Promoting fellowship & brotherhood among US Army Rangers

Fallen Rangers

Stephen Slater

As a member of A Company, 2/75 Infantry (Ranger), SGT Stephen Slater participated in the combat jump at Point Salines, seizure of the airfield and True Blue campus of St Georges Medical College, initial defense of the airfield and destruction of 3 BTR-60's, and the rescue of students at Grand Anse campus on the island of Grenada during Operation Urgent Fury in October 1983.

On October 27, 1983, SGT Slater participated in an airmobile raid on the Calvigny Barracks which housed Cuban soldiers. Just before the helicopter landed near the Cuban held compound, the craft was hit by small-arms fire from the ground and crashed killing Stephen and two other Rangers.

According to LT Tony Thomas, "Steve Slater was a source of constant inspiration to every Ranger with whom he came in contact. He thrived on adversity and was a rock under pressure. The deal with SGT Slater was that morale never faltered and no task went unfulfilled. He shared a bond that only men of tremendous dedication and professionalism can know."